Chapter 33 #2
Liv grins, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So he does have a name after all… Nice to meet you, Hot Neighbor.”
Zach coughs out a laugh. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Oh, before she knew your name, you were dubbed Hot Neighbor,” she says simply, shrugging her shoulders and grinning widely as she puts the massive jacket and helmet on Noah, who beams from beneath the visor. “I heard you had a very unique introduction.”
Burying my face in one of my palms, I groan and shake my head in mortification. “Ohmygod, Livvvv.”
Zach chuffs, crossing his arms over his chest and grins down at me. “You talked about me, huh?”
“Would you both just stop.” My cheeks are a million degrees. “You flustered me.”
“The feeling was mutual,” Zach says quietly, leaning down to whisper in my ear. Then, straightening, he says to Liv, “Please, check everything out. Try some chili, cast your votes. There’s also hotdogs for the kiddos that don’t want chili.”
“Perfect,” Liv laughs, taking the jacket and helmet off her youngest and hanging both up on hooks inside one of the cubbies of the firetruck. Taking one kid by each hand, they disappear inside the bay.
Zach and I follow, our arms touching, and I have to remind myself that I’m an adult. He’s an adult. We are allowed to flirt. Allowed to touch.
Joel—no longer with Chloe on his shoulders—is standing next to a woman in the same fire department uniform, her bright, auburn red hair hanging down her back in messy waves.
Her arms are crossed over her chest and she’s glaring up at him, and his expression isn’t any happier.
So different than the Joel I’ve come to know, who seems to get along with everybody.
“That’s Scarlett,” Zach says quietly, his gaze following mine. “That’s the chief's daughter. She’s on the crew, too. She and Joel used to be really close, and then three years ago, something happened. They haven’t gotten along since.”
I want to ask more, but Zach stops us at the big wrought iron cauldron. Chief Jensen looks up, his hazel eyes bouncing from Zach’s to mine before a wide grin spreads across his face. The man is built like a train and has an easy four inches on Zach, who isn’t short at six feet tall himself.
Graying goatee and head clean shaved, he’s deeply tanned with tan lines on the side of his face from sunglasses hanging from the collar of his shirt.
He’s handsome in a truly masculine, mature way, and when he reaches a hand out to shake in introduction, the sheer size of it swallows mine.
I’ve known who Clay Jensen is for years but never had the opportunity to meet him before now.
The man gives big D energy.
Dick or Daddy, I’m not sure which.
Possibly both.
“Well, aren’t you just the prettiest thing,” he says, grinning as he shakes my hand. He looks at Zach and says, “You better keep your eye on this one, Zach.”
“Watch it, old man,” Zach warns good naturedly, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his cargo pants. He glances down at me and says out of the corner of his mouth, “Chief’s the biggest flirt I’ve ever met. Don’t let him fool you.”
Batting my eyelashes at the older man, I smile and say, “It’s very nice to meet you, Chief. I do have a thing for mature men…”
“Fucking hell, Louise,” Zach groans, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger when Chief busts out laughing.
“I like this one,” Chief laughs, releasing my hand and turning to the giant cauldron.
He ladles up a paper bowl full of chili and hands it to me, then points to a long table by the bay doors.
“Any fixing you could possibly want is over on that table. There’s also a pan of cornbread in the warmer.
Please, help yourself. If you need something else to warm you up, you know where to find me. ”
Zach practically growls and Chief winks down at me before notching his chin toward the table.
Over at the toppings table, Zach runs his hand across the small of my back, and then down, over my ass discreetly. Leaning close, he growls in my ear, “This ass is mine tonight, Louise.”
Peeking up at him through my lashes, I breathe, “Did I behave?”
Zach squeezes a handful of my ass before letting go. “You’re such a fucking brat. Not even a little bit.”
Turning with my bowl of chili, my eyes widen and I gasp, because there’s no way this is real life. “Oh my god, it’s Andi!”
“Who’s Andi?” Zach asks, turning with me, his hand falling away. I want it back.
“She’s this absolutely incredible wedding coordinator here in town,” I whisper, tamping down my nerves and excitement. “She’s hiring at her company… and I’ve been considering putting in an application.”
“Go say hi,” Zach mutters, taking my chili bowl from me and giving me a shove. He lifts the spoon to his mouth, stealing a huge bite.
“No, she’s talking to Scarlett, I can’t interrupt,” I hiss, snatching back my chili bowl. “Hey! Go get your own!”
“So bossy,” Zach grumbles, but drops a kiss to my temple before heading off to grab a bowl from one of the other tables.
When he rejoins me, he leads us to a picnic table outside in the sunshine, and we sit, digging into our food. The cornbread is perfect, diced jalapeno giving it just the right amount of kick.
I’m working on building up the nerve to go say hello to Andi while she and her kids talk to Scarlett.
The two women appear close in age, both late twenties or early thirties possibly, and their interaction is clearly that of close friends.
When Chief approaches them, he pulls Andi in for a tight hug, the kind that only long-time familiarity can attain.
Zach stands, taking our empty bowls and walks over to one of the garbage bins nearby. By the time he returns, Andi’s kids are following Chief to the big truck outside, and Scarlett has wandered off to harass Joel.
Garnering my courage, I stand, smoothing my palms over my skirt and taking several steadying breaths. “I’ll be right back,” I say to Zach.
“Good luck,” he whispers, squeezing my hand once.
Walking over to Andi, I smile and wave. “Hi, Andi, you probably don’t remember me—”
“You’re Sienna’s sister, right?” she says, smiling broadly, shifting a cup of coffee into her other hand to take mine.
Her dark hair is secured back into a claw clip at the back of her head, thick sweeping bangs hanging over her forehead.
Rose gold glasses frame her dark, chocolate brown eyes, and her cheeks are dotted with freckles.
“Yes,” I laugh, nodding. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“I don’t usually get a Saturday morning off,” she says, laughing, gesturing to her casual attire.
Light wash, wide leg jeans with strategic tears across the knees and a dusty blush cropped sweater cover her from neck to toes.
“I’m not sure how I managed a Saturday in October with no weddings scheduled.
Figured we’d come down and support a good cause today.
And get some good food while we’re at it! ”
“It’s a beautiful day for a morning off, and definitely a good cause to stop by. I’ve heard business is going really well for you. That’s so exciting. Sienna was telling me about a wedding she shot of yours a couple weeks ago. She said you were phenomenal.”
“Oh gosh, that’s so sweet,” she laughs. “I love working events with Sienna. She’s great at what she does.”
“She mentioned that you’re looking to expand your team.” Oh god, here goes nothing. I think I might have a heart attack. Or throw up. Not sure which, yet.
“Ohmygod, yes, I am!” she exclaims, setting her coffee down on a table next to us. She grabs both of my hands. “Sienna told me all about your event experience at Bliss. Please tell me you’ll apply.”
Laughing, I let out all the anxiety in my lungs in a long exhale. “I would love to.”
“Come by my office on Monday,” Andi says, smiling wide. She squeezes both of my hands once before releasing them when her two kids come running up, followed by Chief. “Talk soon!”
Walking over to Zach, I grin.
“Good?” he asks.
“I think I have an interview on Monday,” I laugh, still in shock. Holy shit.
He wraps one arm around my shoulders and squeezes tight. “That’s incredible!” He leans down to whisper in my ear, “You’re still in so much trouble for flirting with my boss though. I have a stop to make when I leave here, but I want you in my bed when I get home tonight, Louise.”